DUST MITES and their antigens.

The more luxurious the hotel, the worse it is, because of the down
comforters and feather pillows.

At home, I have allergy barriers on all my bedding, an air cleaner in my
room, and all hard floors with only area rugs, no dust catching window
treatments, and a cleaning woman who moves everything to dust behind,
under, etc.  Even the backs of furniture and hanging pictures, under the
fridge and stove (you wouldn't believe what comes out of there weekly.

An allergist can help, Astelin antihistamine nasal spray, an oral
antihistamine, irrigation air filtration and scrupulous home hygiene.

Susan

There are a lot of molds that are black and not toxic.  I didn't mean
to scare you, just give you a possibility.   Stachybotrys is slimy and
black.  I would not disturb it if it is:  as long as it isn't
disturbed, it won't release spores.  Where is it located?  Stachy
usually likes things like cellulose (in ceiling tiles, wallboard, etc.)
Nobody knows for sure if it can release toxins when it isn't airborne,
but would be more likely to do so if it is.   Another common mold that
is black is Cladosporium.  It is not generally toxic, but can be
allerginic.  There are several others.  Decaying plant material may
also appear black, but have many different kinds of spores in it and
not likely to be Stachy.   On the other hand, there are some molds that
can be more toxic than Stachy, such as Fusarium, which can be pinkish
to purple.  Both of the molds will only grow in extreme dampness.  Is
there any water damage in your apartment?

You would not immediately feel better after leaving a toxic nor
allergenic environment if you have been in it for a while.  I would
suggest you get environmental testing done if you plan to stay there.
In the meantime I would probably try to stay elsewhere for a while
longer and see if it helps.  If it turns out to be significant, then
you can have blood tests done to show both exposure (igG antibodies) or
allergies (IgE antibodies).  The IgG antibodies cannot tell you where
or when you were exposed;  however, just that you have been exposed.
It has to be at a fairly high level to be significant, though, because
everyone is going to show some exposure to mold.

This may not be your problem at all.  Everybody responds differently to
mold exposure but it is a good starting place.

Kathyw

Unless you have a forced air system and can get a whole house filter,
you need one for each room.  I'd start just with the room you sleep in
and any other room you spend the most time in.

It won't do much good, though, if you don't keep the room scrupulously
clean and dusted.

Read the comparison charts at allergybuyersclub.com then search for
prices using a search engine.

Susan

On 11/3/06 4:51 PM, in article WFR2h.1190$AR2.642@newsfe04.lga, "MZB"
<moo@noway.prudigy.net> wrote:

At www.allergybuyersclub.com they show several air purifiers and they have
reader's ratings on them.

I think just the bedroom is necessary to begin with because that is where
you spend the most time.
I don't know which air purifier is better than others except maybe I would
go for the quieter one.

I think they also grade the purifiers by room size.